In an election year, and with a new president coming to Washington, it is essential for citizens to keep up with the issues, facts and developments in order to be able to make a fair and sound judgment when voting for candidates running for public office.

In order to become well informed, the news media can be a valuable source of information, but it is not the end-all source, nor is it as totally objective as some would have people believe. Depending on a person's particular party affiliation, or the party a person most often agrees with on issues, the objectivity of the news media appears to swing both ways.

The print media, which has centuries-old roots, has encountered serious competition from the electronic media. The Internet and advanced technology has forever changed the information highway.

But the question remains, just because you read, hear or see something purported to be news, is it real, factual and accurate? Paid advertisements, political commercials and campaign literature are not objective news accounts. Nor are the unending e-mails sent lambasting particular candidates or purporting to render the inside truth.

The Internet offers an infinite source of information. Digital technology makes it possible to transmit images within seconds of an event happening. Researching information and clarifying facts on this information highway are often but a keystroke away.

Young people are quick to catch on to technology, to readily accept, and adapt to doing things a new way. But with this newfound technology comes a responsibility on our part to learn to separate facts from fantasy. Continuing education is for everyone.

In this Sunday's Gospel we hear the parable Jesus told his disciples of the landowner who hired people in the morning to work his vineyard. When the landowner saw  people idle in the marketplace on four other occasions through the day, he hired them also to work in the vineyard. When it came time for them to be paid, he gave everyone the same amount. "No way," might be the words a person today would use, to protest working the full day for the agreed upon amount, only to learn others who worked far fewer hours made the same.

Are we envious because some in our midst are more able to adapt to new ways of doing things? Do we resent the new kids in the political arena? Do we judge people based on age, race, sex or experience? Do your research. You are never too old to learn.